A community classic at the St. Joseph County Public Library gets a new name. The annual Open Book Family Festival is now Explore-A-Story. Award winning children’s author and three-time Caldecott Medal winner David Wiesner will be this year’s special guest. Explore-A-Story will take place at the Main Library in downtown South Bend on November 3, 2018. Doors open at 9:30 a.m.
Explore the world of children’s author and artist David Wiesner. His beloved books—Flotsam, Tuesday, Mr. Wuffles!—will be center stage in this fun family event designed for our community’s pre- and early readers. Wiesner’s picture books are largely wordless and craft stories using rich illustrations. His style of visual storytelling appeals to younger children and gives opportunities for them to create stories using their own words.
According to Theresa Horn, youth services manager, “We’re excited to bring the creator of such iconic images in children’s literature to the South Bend community. Picture book fans are sure to recognize Wiesner’s illustrations and enjoy his creative storytelling.”
The decision to rename Open Book stems from the need to find a way to more vividly describe what the event is about. Explore-A-Story invites families to enter the colorful world of a picture book author. For 17 years, authors and artists have participated in the event, and in recent years, Laura Numeroff, Amy Krause Rosenthal, and Sherri Duskey Rinker have all been special guests. The event also features musical performances and crafts. It is a way to get kids and families excited about reading and to explore new stories, characters, and topics.
To get ready for the big day, families can celebrate the work of David Wiesner with a Storywalk® at all library locations from October 1-31. Special storytimes featuring favorite storybook characters will be held at branches from October 29 through November 1. A full lineup of activities and guests at Explore-A-Story will be available in October. Visit sjcpl.org/explore-a-story for more information.
About David Wiesner
David Wiesner is an acclaimed children’s picture book author and illustrator. He is a three time Caldecott Medal Winner: Tuesday (1992), The Three Pigs (2002), and Flotsam (2007). His books have been translated into more than a dozen languages. Visit davidwiesner.com for more information about the author.
